20 November 2024

New Delhi’s Optimism Over Trump 2.0 Belies Underlying Fault Lines in India-US Relations

Chietigj Bajpaee

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first world leaders to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Modi shared photos of their previous interactions while congratulating “my friend” Trump on his “historic” victory.

New Delhi always seemed somewhat more comfortable with a second Trump term than a Kamala Harris presidency, which would have entailed a more value-driven foreign policy with greater emphasis (and scrutiny) on India’s democratic credentials. Not even Harris’ Indian ancestry could match the bromance of the “Howdy, Modi!” and “Namaste Trump” gatherings during Trump’s first term.

This initial optimism has been complemented by the ongoing announcement of Trump’s picks for foreign policy posts. Several key positions in the second Trump administration are going to people with a pro-India tilt, including Representative Mike Waltz – Trump’s pick for national security adviser – who previously served as head of the India Caucus, and Senator Marco Rubio – a potential candidate for secretary of state – who has pushed for deepening India-U.S. defense cooperation: Earlier this year he introduced the U.S.-India Defense Cooperation Act in the Senate.

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